March 03, 2016

Wyden, Merkley Announce Secure Rural Schools Payments to Oregon Counties

Washington – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced today that 18 Oregon counties will receive about $35.5 million in Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payments this fiscal year for local roads and schools.

“These funds help rural Oregonians pay for essential services such as providing their children with the good education they deserve and their communities with the safety they expect,” Wyden said. “And they also highlight the urgent need in this Congress to reauthorize this lifeline, which I have been proud to fight for since I co-wrote the original SRS program in 2000.”

“The Secure Rural Schools program is an essential lifeline for much of rural Oregon and these funds provide the resources that our communities need for their schools, roads and public safety,” said Merkley. “Today’s payments will make a difference in communities across our state, but they are no substitute for a long-term plan to grow our rural economy.”

Since Wyden co-wrote the original SRS program in 2000 with then-Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, Oregon counties have received nearly $3 billion.

The counties receiving the $35.5 million in SRS funds distributed this fiscal year by the Bureau of Land Management are Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill counties.

When including funding from the U.S. Forest Service, 33 Oregon counties receive SRS payments totaling about $107 million

For the county-by-county breakdown of the $35.5 million in BLM funds, please go here.